Crawford resigned on September 23, 2005, just a few short months later, in a surprise announcement. He denied that allegations of financial improprieties were the reason for his departure. [9] Bush nominated Andrew von Eschenbach to succeed Crawford. Crawford joined a Washington lobbying firm, Policy Directions Inc.

On April 28, 2006, Crawford's lawyer, Barbara Van Gelder, announced that he was being investigated by a grand jury over accusations of financial improprieties and false statements to Congress. [10][11]

On October 16, 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Crawford with lying and violating conflict-of-interest laws for falsely reporting his ownership of stock in companies regulated by the FDA. He falsely stated in a 2004 government filing that he and his wife sold their shares of Sysco and Kimberly-Clark, when in fact they continued to hold them, and also failed to disclose income from exercising stock options in Embrex Inc.[12][13] He pled guily the next day and on February 27, 2007, was sentenced to three years' supervised probation and fines of roughly $90,000. [14]